Brain and spinal tumors are diseases in which cancer (malignant) cells begin to grow in the tissues of the brain. Tumors that start in the brain are called primary brain tumors. Tumors that start in the brain and spread to other organs are called primary brain tumors. Symptoms and signs may include headaches, personality changes, dizziness, and trouble walking. Treatment depends upon the type and grade of the tumor. Read more: Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors in Adults Article
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10 Facts About the Amazing Brain Quiz
Take this brain quiz to learn about your amazing brain! It's the most complex part of your body, and is responsible for many...
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Epilepsy & Seizures Quiz: What Causes Seizures?
Do you know the difference between seizures and epilepsy? What are the types of seizures? Take the Epilepsy & Seizures Quiz to...
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Brain Food Pictures: What to Eat to Boost Focus
Learn how to increase concentration and boost memory. Brain foods such as fish (omega 3 fatty acids), berries, fruits, nuts,...
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Picture of Brain
The brain is one of the largest and most complex organs in the human body. See a picture of the Brain and learn more about the...
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Picture of Brain Layers
That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). See a picture of Brain Layers and learn more...
QUESTION
Cancer is the result of the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in the body. See AnswerRelated Disease Conditions
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Cancer
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
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Brain Tumors
A brain tumor can be either non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant), primary, or secondary. Common symptoms of a primary brain tumor are headaches, seizures, memory problems, personality changes, and nausea and vomiting. Causes and risk factors include age, gender, family history, and exposure to chemicals. Treatment is depends upon the tumor type, grade, and location.
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Encephalopathy
Encephalopathy refers to brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Learn about what causes encephalopathy as well as types, symptoms, stages, and treatment.
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Hydronephrosis
Hydronephrosis describes swelling of the kidney resulting from the inability of urine to drain from the kidney into the bladder. This may be a normal variant or it may be due to an underlying illness or medical condition. Symptoms of acute hydronephrosis may include: intense flank or back pain radiating to the groin, nausea, vomiting, bloody urine, sweating, and colicky pain, which may cause the person to writhe or roll around or pace in pain.
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What Were Your First Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Tumor?
The symptoms of a tumor depend on how big it is and where it is in the brain. Some slow-growing tumors may not cause any symptoms at first. Eventually, the tumor may put pressure on the brain that may cause the signs and symptoms like severe headaches, seizures, irritability, dizziness, personality change and more.
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Brain Lesions (Lesions on the Brain)
A brain lesion is defined as an area of damaged brain. Brain lesions (lesions on the brain) are caused by trauma, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, cancers, other diseases, stroke, bleeding, pituitary adenomas, and cerebral palsy. Symptoms of brain lesions include headache, nausea, fever, neck pain and stiffness, affected vision and speech, and weakness or paralysis to one side of the body. Diagnosis of brain lesions is generally accomplished with imaging studies like CT or MRI scans. Treatment and prognosis of brain lesions depends on the cause of the lesion.
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Hypothermia
Hyothermia or extreme exposure to cold can be classified as either accidental hypothermia (unintentional cold exposure) and intentional hypothermia (generally induced for a medical procedure). Hypothermia is caused by exposure to extremely cold temperatures. Risk factors for hypothermia include cold exposure and/or certain medical conditions. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering; increased heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure; apathy, confusion, slurred speech, no reflexes, and dilated pupils. Medical attention is generally necessary to treat hypothermia.
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Tumor Grade
Tumor grade is a system used to classify cancer cells in how likely the tumor is to grow and how abnormal they look under a microscope. Tumor grade is not the same as tumor stage. A biopsy is taken to determine if the tumor is benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
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Bell's Palsy (Facial Nerve Problems)
Bell's palsy is one type of facial nerve paralysis. The seventh cranial nerve controls the muscles of the face, and although scientists do not know the exact cause of Bell's palsy, they think it may be due to nerve damage from an infection, for example, the flu, common cold viruses, and more serious infections like meningitis. The symptoms of Bell's palsy vary from person to person, but can include mild weakness to total paralysis, dry eye, dry mouth, eyelid drooping, drooling, mouth drooping, dry mouth, changes in taste, and excessive tearing in one eye.
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Seizure (Epilepsy)
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
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What Are The 12 Cranial Nerves and Their Function?
Twelve cranial nerves extend from your brain to help control various motor functions. Find out more about what they do and how to recognize signs of a cranial nerve disorder.
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Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a common cause of dementia. Symptoms and warning signs of Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, disorientation to time and place, misplacing things, and more. The biggest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is increased age. Treatment for Alzheimer's is often targeted toward decreasing the symptoms and progression of the disease.
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What Are the 3 Types of Meningitis?
Meningitis is a serious condition that needs medical attention. Learn about the 3 types of meningitis, what causes meningitis, how doctors diagnose meningitis, and how meningitis is treated.
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Coma Causes and Glasgow Coma Scale
Coma is the inability to waken or react to the surrounding environment. The Glasgow Coma Scale is frequently used to measure the depth of coma. Causes of coma include trauma, bleeding, edema, lack of oxygen, poisoning, or hypoglycemia. Prognosis for a patient in a coma depends on the cause of the coma.
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What Exactly Is a Tumor?
A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells, which serves no purpose in the body. There are three types of tumors, but it is not always clear how a tumor will develop in the future. Some non-cancerous tumors can become cancerous. Early detection of a lump or tumor is important to determine what will be the treatment.
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What Neurological Disorders Cause Loss of Bladder Control?
Loss of bladder control is urinary incontinence. Severity ranges from occasionally leaking urine while straining, coughing or sneezing to having a frequent sudden urge to urinate. The causes of neurologic urinary incontinence include multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, brain tumor, spinal injury and heavy metal poisoning.
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What Is the Life Expectancy Today?
The life expectancy in the United States, before COVID, was 78.7 years, and the current life expectancy for World in 2021 is 72.81 years, a 0.24% increase from 2020. In all prevalence scenarios, if the Covid-19 infection prevalence rate remains below 1 or 2 percent, Covid-19 would not substantially affect life expectancy.
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Is Having a Chiari Malformation Life-Threatening?
Chiari malformation symptoms include vomiting, muscle weakness in the head and face, difficulty swallowing, varying degrees of mental impairment, headache, neck pain, progressive scoliosis (curvature of the spine), difficulty with balance and coordination, and others. It can be life threatening if it affects the mouth and throat.
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Seizure vs. Seizure Disorders: What's the Difference?
Seizures and seizure disorders are not the same medical problems. A seizure happens when the electrical activity in the brain is uncontrolled. There are about 40 different types of seizure disorders, in which epilepsy is one. Symptoms depend on the type of disorder, but can include loss of consciousness, uncontrolled twitching or shaking of one side, or the entire body.
Treatment & Diagnosis
- CT Scan vs. MRI
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan)
- CT Scan (Computerized Tomography)
- What Does a CT Head Scan Show?
- What Are the Side Effects of Stereotactic Radiosurgery?
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation Therapy
- Is Craniotomy a Serious Surgery?
- Questions To Ask Before Surgery
- How Is a Lumbar Puncture Procedure Done?
- Tingling in Hands and Feet
- Poor Hygiene
- Loss of Speech
- Mood Swings
- Shaking Hands (Hand Tremors)
- Abnormal Facial Expressions
- Hallucinations
- Unusual Behavior
- Lack of Facial Expressions
- Echolalia
- Dilated Pupils (Mydriasis)
- Delusions
- Catatonia (Catatonic Behavior)
- Delirium
- Hiccups
- Inability to Regulate Emotions
- Bladder Spasms
- Loss of Smell (Anosmia)
- Dysarthria
- Low Testosterone (Low T)
- How to Choose a Doctor
- Doctor: Checklist to Take To Your Doctor's Appointment
- Doctor: Getting the Most from Your Doctor's Appointment
- Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors
- Epilepsy and Seizures FAQs
- Brain FAQs
- Seizure Symptoms: How to Assist the Victim
- Questions To Ask Your Doctor - General
- Senator Ted Kennedy: Seizure, Brain Cancer, and Death
- Brain Cancer Symptoms: Headaches and Seizures
- Senator Ted Kennedy, a Legend Dies of Brain Cancer
- The Worst Headache of Your Life: Brain Hemorrhage Symptoms
- Hospitals: Can Yours Handle Your Emergency?
Medications & Supplements
Prevention & Wellness
- In Animal Studies, Gene Therapy Shows Promise for Spinal Cord Injury Pain
- Novel Injection Repairs Severe Spinal Cord Injuries in Mice
- New Technology Restores Movement After Spinal Cord Paralysis
- New Treatment Greatly Boosts Survival for Kids With Aggressive Brain Cancer
- Fewer American Adults Are Getting Malignant Brain Tumors
- Stem Cell Injections Show Early Promise Against Spinal Cord Injuries
- Toxin in Undercooked Meat Shows Links to Rare Brain Tumors
- As Testing Costs Rise, Neurology Patients May Skip Screening
- Woman Plays Violin During Brain Surgery
- Brain Tumor Patient Used Medical Pot, Landed in ER
- Health Tip: Living With a Herniated Disc
- Better Treatments Needed to Boost Brain Cancer Survival: Study
- The Bigger the Brain, the Bigger the Tumor Risk?
- Could the Zika Virus Fight the Brain Cancer That Killed John McCain?
- Senator John McCain Dies From Brain Tumor
- Brain Tumor Patients May Have Unlikely Ally: the Polio Virus
- FDA Issues Tougher Warning on MRI Dye Tied to Brain Effects
- Gene Therapy May Be Breakthrough for Boys With 'Lorenzo's Oil' Disease
- Signs of Brain Tumor May Show in Blood Years Before Diagnosis
- Removing All Visible Cancer Is Key to Treating Aggressive Brain Tumors
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